Friday, April 29, 2011

This completes the series based on my recent Ellis Faas order. I saved the best for last. Today's post is about Ellis Faas Milky Lips L201 ($35), shown in the center photo below. (See also Creamy Lips L101 and Glazed Lips L301.)

Image from Ellis Faas

Milky Lips L201 is a liquid lipstick dispensed through a sleek, chrome pen. Deeply pigmented, it is smooth and moisturizing without bleeding or feathering. It fades evenly all over the mouth and leaves behind a rosy stain. The color is a hint warmer than the Creamy Lips L101, a true blood (blue) red. Ellis Red lip products do not turn fuchsia the way some other blue reds do (such as Julie Hewett and Besame).

Milky Lips have the brush-end applicator, which I find less problematic than the showerhead, felt-tipped applicators.

Like all the other Ellis Faas products (except for the powder and the new foundation, which is available in a bottle), you have to prime the pen the first time you use it. I own several pens, and I find the initial priming always requires many clicks, sometimes a hundred or more, but the same is true for other click systems, like Yves Saint Laurent's Touche Eclat. So consider priming at a time when you are not in a hurry. That said, I usually go a little click crazy with a new pen, and if too much makeup comes out, I do my best to use it up that day or the next. But if you end up wiping some of it off on a tissue, you're not really wasting that much. I say don't worry about it; just get the product out and things will be easier the next time.

The following image looks less like makeup than a barbeque sauce brush.

An Ellis Faas bonus: No lip pencil is required. The brush is tapered at the edge so it lets me follow the shape of my lips and then bring the color inward. I also like that I can wear this deep red quite naturally, which makes my lips look very flushed, or I can apply it quite strongly for more drama.

Here's Milky Lips L201 blended out to a stain. No lip pencil, no special prep work. And, yes, I used the brush end to achieve this look, but I "finished" the surface with my fingertip:

And here's what the Ellis Red looks like on my lips applied full strength:

If you go for the more dramatic look, make sure your lips are in good condition (flake free), and it might be helpful to tone down the skin around your mouth, because you don't want any facial redness competing with the red of this gorgeous lipstick. You can also clean up your application after with a concealer brush dipped in the barest amount of concealer, so the edges are quite crisp. I did not do any special prep work for the image above, not even lip pencil.

A single application lasts 4-6 hours with minimal fading. The finish is kiss proof, but it will transfer to a coffee cup if I apply gloss or balm on top.

Bottom line: A red you can wear in full summer sun.

As of this writing, Ellis Faas Milky Lips ($35) are exclusive to Bergdorf Goodman and Space NK (€25.00). I purchased mine from the ellisfaas.com web site.

Thursday, April 28, 2011

When it comes to makeup, I can be very fickle, but with my skincare, I make changes much more slowly. I realize that some of you look forward to the evening ritual when you treat yourself to a two-step washing process, put on a masque, add a toner, and then apply treatment, serum, and finally moisturizer. I envy that kind of pampering, but I prefer faster and simpler.

Enter Bioderma Crealine H2O Ultra-Mild Non-Rinse Face and Eyes Cleanser. Such an imposing mouthful for a product that is so unassuming and simple.

Prices vary by size and how it's packaged (I pay $57.95 for two 500ml bottles). It is a little pricey but worth every cent. With a full face of makeup, including water resistant mascara and eyeliner, I apply the watery cleanser to a cotton pad and gently wipe all over my face, including my eyes and lips. Then I turn the pad over and use the clean side to go over my face again and remove any last traces of makeup. No second wash, no facial redness (so I could reapply my makeup immediately after), no eye stinging, and no skin irritation.

I never imagined it would be so effective because it's like pouring water onto the cotton pad, but it performs the job of three products (wash, tone, moisturize) and has the bonus of being extremely cooling to the skin. In fact, when hot weather rolls around, I will keep a bottle of this in the fridge.

I have been using this cleanser at least four times a week for the last three months. I often alternate nights with another favorite (Avene Extremely Gentle Cleanser, reviewed here), and I have experienced no breakouts or rashes or milia.

Bottom line: Favorite no-sink cleanser.
(UPDATE: Almost five years later, this is still one of my all-time favorite skincare products)

I buy Bioderma Crealine from FrenchCosmetics.net. They order directly from their distributers in France every Sunday evening, so the products they send you are the freshest. (Unaffiliated.)

When I tried the S304 blush from the same order (reviewed on Monday), it became disappointingly clear that product swatches are sometimes nothing like they appear online, not even close. So I was very encouraged when the product that emerged from the primed pen was what I'd hoped for.

Deep blackberry looks promising.

Here is is swatched on my skin in natural light on an overcast day. On the left, I applied the color directly from the pen, and on the right I blended it out to a stain.

Here's a swatch in incandescent indoor lighting.

Below I applied the color directly to my lips from the pen and then blotted it down to a stain. I'm not wearing lip pencil, so the edges are quite soft. Even blotted it is still very moist.

I'm quite pleased that L102 is so versatile. I can wear a deep berry, dramatic look for evening, or I can achieve a lighter berry stain for the office by putting a dot on my fingertip and blending it in well. I love that I don't need lip pencil for such a pigmented shade. Try that with one of the Julie Hewett 'Noir' lipsticks! Based on the several Ellis Faas lipsticks I already own, they do not feather or bleed, and a single application lasts up to six hours with minimal fading.

Ellis Faas lipsticks are relatively kiss proof (though I wouldn't go anywhere a white collar), but they will transfer to a coffee cup if I apply a glossy balm on top, which isn't actually necessary if my lips are well prepped first. (I use a very thin layer of Julie Hewett Camellia balm.) Though matte, Creamy Lips are not drying in the slightest, and when the color fades, it fades relatively evenly and leaves behind a faint stain. I even experimented with using it as a blush, and it looked pretty good, but I had to work super fast and use a very light hand.

Monday, April 25, 2011

A couple days ago, I excitedly ripped open the box containing my newest Ellis Faas order. As my friends know, I am a fan, even enough to deal with notorious pen-clog issue. This recent order contained blush in S304, Creamy Lips L102, and Milky Lips L201.

This review is for Ellis Faas Blush S304 ($32). I'll review the other two items at a later date.

I own two other Ellis Faas blushes, S301 and S302. Blush S301 is a warm beige-peach, with an emphasis on beige. It does not flatter my skin tone at all. I feel equally bland about S302, a rosy peach, because it's too warm for me. For months, I have wanted to try S304. Based on the online swatch on the Ellis Faas Web site, it looks cooler than the others. Doesn't the following stock swatch look like a cool-toned berry?

Image from Ellis Faas

I was disappointed that the S304 blush is not a cool anything. In fact, it is the warmest and darkest Ellis Faas blush I now own. I'd call it a russet bronze color. Normally I would not bother to write a review for a product I don't love for color alone, but since I have never seen a review or blog post for S304, I thought I'd put it out there, just in case it helps someone with skin tone similar to mine (fair, pink porcelain). Or maybe this color is exactly what someone is looking for.

Like the other Ellis Faas blushes, S304 has the showerhead applicator. I've never had problems with the blush pen clogging, but I have had issues with Creamy Lips and Milky Eyes pens. (I wrote tips on dealing with clogged pens in the Ellis Faas Products overview I wrote a couple weeks ago.). Here's what a virgin applicator looks like. If you enlarge the photo you can see shadows from the little holes beneath the felt:

The color number is stamped at the base of the pen (the part you twist-click):

Here's what it looks like when the pen is primed and ready to apply (I overdid the clicking just a bit):

And here it is swatched on my hand. On the left, I applied it straight from the pen, and on the right, I blended it out. The texture is smooth and blends very easily. Color lasts all day.

The day I took the pictures, it was overcast so the photos are not shown in the best light, but it's too dark and warm for me to wear as blush, so I tried it on my lips.

Not bad but not ideal. I worry that since it's meant to be worn on the cheeks, it won't be moisturizing.

Ellis Faas colors mirror colors in the body, and while all colors are supposed to be universal, they aren't all necessarily what I would say are my best colors. Or perhaps they are universal for women with warm-toned skin. To date, there is a disappointingly small selection of products for those of us who are almost entirely cool toned with undertones/overtones of blue and pink. I would love to see some blush options in clear pink. Or a rosy blush or even a clear red, you know, the color many skins turns when we really truly blush.

Bottom line: Blush S304 is pretty, but not on me. I am sure someone out there loves this color--perhaps a tawny redhead who tans well.

As far as I know, Ellis Faas products are exclusive to Bergdorf Goodman and Space NK. I purchased mine from the ellisfaas.com web site.

Saturday, April 23, 2011

The Becca Enigma Eyeshadow Palette ($49) is a limited edition compact. The product comes in a tiny, portable case not much larger than a deck of cards and half as thick. Here it is in front of an Edward Bess lip gloss for comparison:

The palette contains three full-sized pans, along with a mini eye brush that does a fairly decent job for on-the-go touch ups. The colors are:

Armure Demi Matt (fawn)

Silesia Demi Matt (smoke)

Surah Shimmer (mushroom)

Pigmentation is excellent, and the texture is what you'd expect from Becca: silky and smooth and not overly powdery. The matte shadows are not flat. Even though it says "matte" on the bottom of the compact, the Becca web site lists Armure and Silesia as demi matt, and I have found that to be the case. Both have a satin finish.

Enigma is a cool-toned taupe lover's delight. With just these three colors you can do natural or dramatic. Note that there is no highlighter color--all colors in this palette are mean to stand on their own or be blended together.

It would be easy to create a subtle, work-appropriate look using Surah on the lid, Armure in the crease, and Silesia to line. Silesia also works well along the lash line, smudged up, with Armure in the crease and Surah in the inner corners.

Armure is called "soft fawn" by Becca, but when I think of a baby deer, I think of red brown. Armure is more like a soft dove grey, purely cool in tone, maybe the color of baby field mouse

Surah is a neutral taupe, and mushroom is a good adjective to describe it, greige with hints of mauve. Surah is the only color in the trio that contains shimmer, but the shimmer is extremely subtle. I took the below photo outside in indirect sun so you could see the subtlety of the shimmer.

Silesia is a mid-toned smokey grey. It makes a subtle liner and a very pretty crease color that blends out quite well.

Thursday, April 21, 2011

I had been reading great things about the Edward Bess Luxury Eye Brush ($40), but I put off my purchase until last November. I thought how special could it be? When the package arrived and I opened the cardboard container, I didn't know what it was at first. I tried to remember if I had purchased a watch or bracelet from Bergdorf Goodman because what I saw inside was a long, slender jewelry-type box.

I am quite certain I have never purchased a brush so elegantly packaged. It would make a perfect gift, sure to delight even your most discriminating friend who already has everything.

The first thing I noticed when I removed the brush from its padded satin bed was its weight. The handle is shiny black metal (like the lipstick tubes), not wood, and it is weighted at the base.

The Luxury Eye Brush's bristles are natural, so they are intended for powder shadows, and that's where they truly shine. Just a quick swipe across any eyeshadow picks up the perfect amount of product. I have also used this brush with cream shadows, and it provides an almost airbrushed finish, though I won't do it often. I am afraid if I wash the brush too frequently, it will wear out more quickly.

This brush is very soft with no prickly feeling. Some reviewers have said the thick head is too fluffy for contouring, and I agree that it is too thick for detailed contouring, but I am able to get the perfect amount into my socket. Since the bristles are hand tied, perhaps they are all shaped a bit differently. My brush has a slightly tapered end, so I can either apply a wider swath of color in the crease or I can direct the tip into the fold for more detailed shading. This is not a brush for packing down color.

If I used the same 2-3 eyeshadow colors every day, I could easily see using just this one brush to apply base/highlighter, lid, and crease color. This is currently my favorite blending brush, and it was totally worth it.

Here's a video (The Edward Bess Day Look) where Bess demonstrates how to use just this brush to apply his Nude, Intimate, and Mystery eyeshadows:

Bottom line: Well worth having, especially because I can use a single brush to do my entire eye.

Edward Bess products are available at Bergdorf Goodman and select Neiman Marcus stores, as well as at the Bergdorg Goodman, Neiman Marcus and Edward Bess online stores. In the UK, Edward Bess is sold at Zuneta.

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Like most everyone else, I always tested new products by going to a department store and trying them on, but sometimes I'd get home and be really disappointed. There should be a law against the kind of lighting used around makeup counters. If I had absolute rule over the makeup kingdom, I would ban ugly yellow lights and put makeup on the top floor under skylights. And each counter would have at least one giant three-way mirror.

Until that day, I deal or bail. But I have picked up a few tricks along the way.

In dimly-lit areas, I'll ask for a hand mirror, tilt my head all the way back, and then hold the mirror over my face (a face that is now pointing up toward the ceiling), This helps get rid of shadows. Sometimes I take the mirror the the store entrance (one that leads outside).

I no longer bother to test lipstick on the back of my hand--at least not as any indication for how it will look on my face. Sure, it's a great way to see a lipstick's true color, but my lips are not flesh toned. A slightly more realistic view of how a lipstick will look on me (if I don't want to try it on my lips) is to swatch it on the fleshy part of my thumb. Since my lips are fairly pigmented, I'll even squeeze the skin beneath where I applied the lipstick to cause more blood to rush to the surface. Big big difference. Suddenly a clear pink has lots of blue and red undertones, and it isn't the same lipstick at all.

For items I have purchased online, I start with a completely bare face and only try one item at a time. For example, I'll try a lipstick on--without a stitch of other makeup--and then inspect the results. I generally look down, and then look up into the mirror in good, natural daylight. I don't over analyze. It either looks good or it doesn't. Life is too short for OK makeup. Why look OK or just good when I can look great?

Here's what I look for when I test a new lipstick or eyeshadow or blush or foundation:

I know the blogoshpere is raving about Edward Bess Ultra Luminous Bronzer ($48) but it was a miss for me.

The packaging is minimalist (no tiny brush) and sturdy with a full-sized mirror. The powder texture is silky, and I love that the shape is round for ease of access. It comes with a velveteen pouch, which protects the case from scratches and provides a little bit of padding to keep the innards from shattering if you are rough on handbags.

Early last winter, I finally purchased this bronzer in the color Daydream, but I did not try it on until recently. Who wears bronzer in the Northeast in winter? Plus, I could not get past what seemed like an overly warm color in the pan, a yellow-gold brown, and my skin doesn't do well with gold. I had read reviews by people as fair as I, but most of the reviewers were warm-toned. My skin is a milky porcelain pink color, like strawberry skimmed milk. I was afraid Daydream would turn into a nightmare on my skin, but I finally swiped some across my cheekbones and at the hairline, and it wasn't terrible.

Of course it's warm—a sun tan is usually warm. In fact, the color is nearly a perfect match for the tiny sprinkling of freckles that emerge across the bridge of my nose in summer. Even still, I still think this bronzer sits too golden on top of my skin. I also think some of us were just not meant to wear bronzer.

I see no obvious shimmer, but the powder is not a flat matte, more of a satin finish with not one sparkle or fleck. Applied properly, it should look natural outdoors at high noon during the Summer Solstice.

Out of curiosity, I compared Bess Daydream to Armani Beauty Sheer Bronzer in shade #1, the only other bronzer I own. How different they are. Edward Bess is a satiny warm golden brown, while Armani is a shimmering warm rosy brown. I applied the swatches quite heavily below, and I never realized how shimmery Armani was until I heaped it on.

Here's a Zuneta video that shows Edward Bess applying his bronzer to a model:

For application, I used the Edward Bess Luxury Face Brush (reviewed here), a decent tool for applying bronzer to my face because of its dense, tapered end, but the density might also deposit too much color. I prefer using the Make Up For Ever HD (synthetic) brush, which applies any product in an extremely sheer layer.

Bottom line: A beautiful bronzer that performs well, just not a love for me.

Monday, April 18, 2011

At $29 each, there are 16 colors in the collection grouped into browns-neutrals, pinks-berries, and red-corals. The new lipsticks are supposed to restore moisture to the lips for up to 8 hours.

I purchased 346 Rose Veil from the pinks-berries group ... you know, the one that goes so well with Kate Winslet's white sheet as she lolls on the floor absolument nu.

For the video, I had read that Kate's makeup artist layered Rose Veil over Lancôme's Sheer Raspberry lip pencil, so I purchased that, as well. The color looked so gorgeous, and I wanted to reproduce it on myself. I am fairly certain I am not the only one who wished for that.

When I first slid the floral-embellished cap off the tube, I saw a clear, warm rose with a hint of coral that would be perfect for Summer. It reminded me of the redbud (Cercis canadensis) blossoms that are just now emerging on trees up here in the Northeast.

Upon closer inspection, I was initially disappointed that the product appeared matte and chalky, but perhaps there was an overspray because the moment I swatched the lipstick on the back of my hand, I could feel how silky it was. Sephora calls the L'Absolu Nu colors vivid, and I agree. Somehow this lipstick manages to be sheer and pigmented at the same time. The formulation contains pearl microparticles, which create a light-reflective, lip-plumping effect.

The photo below was taking in natural light on an overcast day with no flash. 346 Rose Veil is in the center, with a swatch of Sheer Raspberry lip pencil on the left and Rose Veil lipstick over Sheer Raspberry pencil on the right.

To my eye, Rose Veil looks like a slightly warm-leaning coral pink.

As for comfort, L'Absolu Nu is very slick and silky; it reminds me of the sheer Rouge d'Armani lipsticks. There is the slightest hint of a tingle, as well. Over the Sheer Raspberry pencil, the color stayed put for about 4 hours, but on its own, it lasts an hour and it fades from the center outward, so I am left with slightly disconcerting dark edges and a bit of pearl glitter on my lips. There is almost no traction with this lipstick, so lips might get 8 hours of continuous moisture, as Lancôme claims, but they do not get 8 hours of continuous color. The texture, pigment, and durability remind me of Make Up For Ever Fascinating Lip Gloss (which appears to have been recently discontinued).

I thought Rose Veil might be similar to Edward Bess Forever Yours, but as you can see from the following swatches, it is not. Rose Veil is more clear, more bright, and it contains no brown:

I also wondered if the color might be similar to Rouge d'Armani 606, so I compared the two on the back of my hand. They are closer in color, but the Rouge d'Armani is deeper, and I actually prefer it on my medium-pigmented rosy-mauve lips.

Based on a few days of testing, I like the new Rouge L'Absolu Nu, but it does not seem that unique. I have plenty of other lipsticks that deliver as good or better moisture to my lips, and I like my lipstick to last more than an hour, but the color is very pretty.

Bottom line: I give this lipstick a solid B for comfort and color. It loses a grade for wearing off too quickly, but that's a reasonable tradeoff for a moisturizing lipstick that feels so good to apply.

L'Absolu Nu lipsticks are sold on Lancôme's Web site and at Sephora (limited color range). They might also be available at Lancôme retail counters by now, as well.

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Are expensive makeup brushes better? The answer is a resounding: Not necessarily.

I've been wearing makeup for 40 years, so I know my makeup. I also was an on-again off-again makeup artist from 1995 to 2005. So I know my makeup -- and my makeup brushes. Professional quality makeup brushes for the masses have become popular in the last 15-20 years. Only the uninformed or apathetic use the ridiculous little applicators that accompany eye shadows and blushes. Some companies, such as MAC, don't even bother to insult us with those at all and expect their customer to be savvy enough to use quality brushes.

My first investment in brushes in the early 1990s was truly a good one. Some of my MAC, Bobbi Brown, and Trish McEvoy brushes are still going strong. (I do wash them periodically with cleanser and water, but not too often since that can shorten their lives as well. I'm more likely to use a spray-on cleaner to get the surface grime off.) These brands were, and to some extent still are, the gold standard in makeup brushes.

More recently, however, many companies have launched much less expensive versions of brushes that mimic the shape and texture of the real deal. Some are natural hair and some are synthetic, but all are really, really good! The pro's reviews for both Sigma and Crown brushes are outstanding. My personal favorite is the newly launched, animal-friendly Real Techniques by Sam Chapman collection. This pixiwoo YouTuber has really put a lot of thought in to her brush line, as demonstrated by the color coded handles, perfect shapes, and luxurious-feeling bristles. Granted, these have only been around for a few weeks, so I cannot comment on the lifespan of the brushes. However, I can comment on the ease of makeup application and excellent assortment. I've stowed away my other brushes in favor of these since they are so uniformly pretty. Thank you, Sam!

My absolute favorite of Sam's brushes is the blush brush ($9.99). It's fluffy and tapered and applied the sheerest whisper of blush.

Her line also includes a powder brush, foundation brush, stippling brush, a set for eye application, a core set for a variety of uses, and a travel set, They are available exclusively at Ulta and are flying off the shelves.

Today's blog is from Carrie Bradshaw who was overjoyed to find an old friend in her recent Clinique Gift With Purchase.

When I was in my early twenties, Clinique was the first high-end makeup line I used. I was loyal to Clinique and owned several products (New Clover blush, Navied Plum cake eyeliner, Naturally Glossy mascara, Different Grape and Raspberry Glacé lipsticks, Raspberry pot gloss, Silversmoke Fawn eye shadow, eye makeup remover, Balanced makeup base, and and Pore Minimizer foundation.) Those items, and two additional products, made up my entire makeup collection that sat perched on a shelf in my tiny bathroom. The two additional products were eye shadows in Twilight Mauve and Brandied Plum. I loved the sliding mirrored silver box that encased the shadows. Those two colors were magic on my brown eyes. My makeup routine was simple and fun. My skin was still youthful as were my features.Somewhere between my twenties and my fifties I discovered about a hundred other brands of makeup and probably managed to try them all. My collection grew so I'd periodically go through and weed out the old to make room for the new. During that time, I think Clinique may have discontinued those two iconic shadows at some point and then brought them back in the new Color Surge formulation. Until about a week ago, I had completely forgotten about them. I had been purchasing Clinique eye makeup remover a couple of times a year to take advantage of their lovely gift with purchase. (I especially love the Trina Turk-designed makeup bags.) Wouldn't you know, the gift included a duo of Twilight Mauve and Brandied Plum eye shadow!?I fell in love all over again with this combination of colors; they are simply unique. The Twilight Mauve is a silvery grey-plum with only a hint of shimmer, no sparkle or glitter. The Brandied Plum is a deeper, although not too dark, matte plummy grey. Together they complement each other and make my eyes sparkle. I think this combination would be superb on all eye colors. Although they are not neutrals in the traditional sense, they are not too colorful and are subtle enough for an everyday look.The eyeshadow duo was housed in a compact along with Smoldering Plum Blushing Blush (heathered purple), and the GWP also included a dual-ended lip product: Different Lipstick in Shy (a mid-toned violet) and Long Last Glosswear in Mystic (bluish purple with silver shimmer). All five products are shown here on NW20 skin: